The start of this season has seen Ronald Araujo become a mainstay in Andoni Iraola's team, and the defender offered some insight into his future plans amid his loan from Barcelona
Ronald Araujo scored his first goal in Liverpool's Champions League win over LASK last week
Ronald Araujo scored his first goal in Liverpool's Champions League win over LASK last week(Image: Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo has pulled back the curtain on his thoughts on Liverpool since moving to Anfield on a temporary deal.
Last week, Araujo scored his first goal for Liverpool as he headed home against LASK in the Champions League. He has mainly been operating as a right-back, but was back in his favored role in the center of the defense in Austria to give Virgil van Dijk a rest.
Araujo is proving himself to be a versatile and reliable option in Andoni Iraola’s defense and is playing regularly. At the end of the season, Liverpool has an option worth around $62 million to sign the 27-year-old permanently.
When asked about his future, Araujo stayed coy. The Uruguay international has made 213 first-team appearances for Barca since joining from Boston River in January 2019, and he’s not looking to rush into a decision.
“It is very early to talk about these things,” Araujo said on Monday. “I am just trying to enjoy every day, continue to grow and develop, and do what is expected of me.
“I am really happy to be here. My family is very happy too, and that is really important. But it is a bit early to talk about those things.
“I have settled in really well. People here are very intense. When you go down the street or go out for dinner, you see how much they live for football. It is important to feel loved by the fans. I feel represented by the fans when I go out onto the pitch.
Ronald Araujo has become a favorite under Andoni Iraola
Ronald Araujo has become a favorite under Andoni Iraola(Image: Getty Images)
“I am very hungry to give everything and the best of myself this season. I want game time and minutes, and that is what is happening right now. I knew it was a big challenge coming to the Premier League, but from the first minute, I knew I needed to give everything.”
One of Araujo's representatives, Edoardo Crnjar, says everything is going to plan during his loan spell from Barcelona. Araujo is regularly playing for the Reds and has recently spoken about the transition since joining Liverpool.
He was struggling at Barcelona and needed a change of environment, which has so far proven perfect. “Truthfully, I am very happy (at Liverpool). Very, very comfortable,” Araujo said last week.
“From the first moment I arrived, they made me feel very at ease. The teammates, the coaching staff, and obviously the fans, they made me feel at home from the start. That helps. It gives you confidence to perform on the pitch and give your all.
“I am really happy with this moment. I'll just keep working hard as I have been doing, and I hope it will be a great season for us. (I didn't feel like I had anything to prove) Because I don't do things to answer people or to try and prove anything.
“I know what I am worth, I know what I have, and I know what I can do as a player, and I am very convinced of that. I simply enjoy playing football. I now have the continuity I was looking for, and I know what I am capable of as a player when I have that continuity and that confidence.
“That's what I'm doing. I'm enjoying playing, doing what I love most and that's where the fruits of the labor are seen. I am someone who works extremely hard and the results show in your work.”